USA > Pennsylvania > Union County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 2 > Part 8
USA > Pennsylvania > Mifflin County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 2 > Part 8
USA > Pennsylvania > Snyder County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 2 > Part 8
USA > Pennsylvania > Perry County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 2 > Part 8
USA > Pennsylvania > Juniata County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 2 > Part 8
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Robert Buchanan built a cabin on the bank of the Kishacoquillas, near the present stone bridge. Upon the breaking out of the Indian troubles in 1756, Buchanan was warned by Kishacoquillas of the danger, and he, with others in the region, escaped and went to Car- lisle. He probably did not return until 1762, as, on the 2d of July in that year, he warranted a tract of two hundred and one acres of land lying on the northeast side of the river and extending above the mouth of the Kishaco- quillas Creek. His son Arthur, on the same date, warranted ninety-six acres lying back of Robert's land and extending along the bank of
the Kishacoquillas Creek. Jane Buchanan, a daughter of Robert, received a warrant bearing the same date, July 5, 1762, for two hundred and eighteen acres of' land lying below her father's tract and the Kishacoquillas Creek. Opposite Arthur Buchanan's tract and above Jane Buchanan's land, on the same side of the stream, Robert warranted a small tract, on which the St. Mark's Cemetery is located. The tract of Jane Buchanan is that part of the town that lies across the ercek from the public square, while on the Robert and Arthur Bu- chanan tract the main part of Lewistown is laid ont.
Below the tract of Jane Buchanan, and on the Juniata, Andrew Gregg, in 1787, took up a tract of land, built a cabin and brought a stock of goods to the place. John Norris, then a lad of sixteen years, came with him as a clerk. Gregg remained about a year and a half. The plot of these tracts of land can be seen in the prothonotary's office at Lewis- town. The Buchanan traets were all surveyed in April, 1766. In the sketch of early taverns it will be seen that "old Mr. Buchanan " was then keeping tavern at the place. It will not be out of place in this connection to give an account of the " Long Narrows," and the set- Cement at this place in 1788, as given by a writer in the Columbia Magazine, in an article called " A Description of the Juniata River, in the State of Pennsylvania." From it we quote,-
" After crossing at Miller's Ferry (now Millerstown), which lies a few miles from the month of the river and keeping up at midway to Standing Stone, a three- fold junction of the mountains is plainly perceived, being the Tuscarora, Shade and Narrow Mountains. Through them, at this place, commence what is known by the name of the Long Narrows, formed by one con- tinned break through the above hills, and continues surrounded by astonishing crags for upwards of eight or nine miles, during which space the traveller has nothing to walk on for either himself or horse (which he is obliged to dismount for better security) than the piled rocks and stones that have from time to time accumulated by their fall from the surrounding parts. After passing through this miserable place, imme- diately upon the other side stands the town or settle- ment called Old Town, consisting only of a tavern and a few scattered hoveis, and containing nothing worth notice."
" The first name applied to this lovedity was Paketytown, from the lading chief, Pokety. It also was given the mouse Old Town and kistacoquilles' Old Town, although Augliwick, farther age the Jundata, was also called Oht Town.
493
MIFFLIN COUNTY.
The next year after this tour through the | lots mentioned were set apart for public pur- valley was made, the county of Mifflin was erected. Robert Buchanan, the owner of the tract on which the county-seat was located, died about 1780, and left the tract he had originally settled upon to his eldest son, Arthur. Robert Buchanan's family consisted of his wife, Dorcas, Arthur, William, Robert (the last was born in 1773) and Jane. Arthur was living in Lewis- town as late as 1806.
In 1787, Arthur Buchanan became involved in financial difficulty, a judgment was obtained against him and the three Imindred aeres of land in his possession were seized by Thomas Buchanan, high sheriff of Cumberland County, and finally sold, a fuller account of which will be found in sketch of the erection of Mifflin County.
The trustees appointed under the act of erec- tion of Mifflin County located the county-seat upon this tract.
Colonel James Potter and Samuel Edmiston were employed to survey the plot and lay out a town. They performed the work and received for their services £16 15s. The trustees also appointed persons to value the lots laid out.
Lots 15 and 16, containing one-quarter of an acre, were set apart for a meeting-house and a burying-ground. These lots are on the corner of Water and Brown Streets, and are known as the Old Burying-Ground. No meeting-house was ever erected upon them. Lot 86 was set apart for a jail, which was erceted of logs early in 1790, and is the present jail lot. The lot on which the old stone school- house and the old brick school-house stand was marked on the town plot as lot 120, and was designated as "for the use of a publick school-house."
There was also reserved all the " ground on the Juniata from the first Alley to the junction of the River with the Kishacoquillas Creek, together with the streets, lanes, alley and the center of the said Borough, agrecably to the plan of the said town of Lewistown, as laid out by the Trus- tees." While the trustees were anthorized to pureliase one Inmdred and fifty acres of land and lay out a town thereon, with an- thority to sell lots, they did not do it ; yet the
poses, and the jail building, including a court- room in the second story, was built and used in the year 1790, while the property was still in the hands of the High Sheriff of Cumberland County, and it was not until November 27, 1790, that it was sold, and was then bought at publie sale by Samuel Edmiston, then pro- thonotary of the county, who soon after sold one-third interest to Colonel James Potter and Samuel Montgomery, who sold the lots of the town. The court-house on the public square was built in 1796-97, before the title of the dif- ferent lots was conveyed to the county of Mif- flin, which was done in 1802.
The following letter, in the possession of C. H. Henderson, was written by Charles Hardy, in 1791, to friends in England, and as it gives an idea of Lewistown and the surrounding country at that time, a part of it is here quoted. Charles Hardy purchased lot 17, as is shown in the list given.
"Dear Mam : I take this oportunity of a Quainting you of my present hilth and weel fair for which I have reason to prais the Lord and Likewise the defrent seaings of life that I have Goone through Since I come to this Country. I wrought the first 9 months through the summer and winter, and in March I Went out to the Back Country, 160 miles from Philadelphia, whear thaar is a new place a Bilding by the name of Lewes Town, Mitllin County, and as this County is but new laad out, all county business is satled and courts helde in this place, and on the 22th of October I purtched a Lott and Hous, not finished, which cost me 60 pound, and 20 pounds mor will finish it which will Rent for 15 pounds per year. And 19th of January I purtched an improvement which is va- caut Lands, on which is a Dwelling hous and Baru, Stablen, right Good Spring and 14 ackres of Cleared Land, and I have returned Back to Philadelpia to take a Ded out of the Land Ofes for 150 ackres of saad Lands, the improvement I pay 35 pounds, and the warent at Land Ofes is 2 pound 10 shillings per hun- dred, and 1 pound 10 shillings the Sirvey and Clarkes fees, 1 pound 10 shillings all per hundred, which, in all, will cost me betwext 40 and 50 pounds. This is the best part of the country that I have Ever seen for in- dustrins people of Every Trade. Carpenters and Masons 78. 6d. per day, and Labrers 5s. per day, and everything is plentiful, the best of Wheat 4s. pir bushel, Rie 38. this currency, Inden corn and buckwheat in proportion. Beef, Mutton and Bacon at 3d. per pound. This is a fearful Country for wild creatures, Such as Dears, Bars, Wolves and
494
JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
Panters, the Dears meet yousd for Beef or venison, and Bears meet Good Bacon. Fishes and Folls in Great plenty. This is a fine Country for Roots and Vegtales. I shall send you a smad account of them Cooweumbers, Water Mellens, Squashes and Pomp- cans, with a variety of Beanes, sich as you have none in England, with many others too tedis to Name. Al rises from the Ground With out much troble and comes to Great pirfection."
Continuing, he deplores the loss of the priv-
my own mind when I think of the blessings in yeares past I received in publick and in privet convarse, but many times I feel that the Lord preaches to my cowl in privet when I poor out my Speerit before him, but I shall endeaver to pravail with the preachers to come to Lewis- town."
The erection of the public buildings and the fact that the town was made the county-seat at-
udí
A DISTANT VIEW OF LEWISTOWN.
ilege of attending worship with the Methodists, " with whomre I hav many times being Feeling- ly and Sensible Blessed, both in public and pri- vet convarse," and says, " in which I am in sum measure deprived of, as hear is no Metho- des in this part, nor no other sort of worship but Prespeterns, and it is 5 miles to thear meet- ing.1 this causes me to refleet on my Own Self for leaving the parts Whear I had the hapness of asembling amongst a people that I beleave truly worships God. it cases many Reasnings in
1 The Presbyterian Meeting-house he has reference to was evidently the one then standing in Granville township, in the old burying-ground, an account of which will be found in the sketch of Granville township.
tracted many people to it, and in 1793 the fol- lowing persons were owners of lots in Lewis- town. Their names, with the number of the lots owned by them, are here given as found in the assessment roll of Derry township :
1. Thomas Duncan.
2,3, 4. William Adams.
6. Samuel Montgomery.
7. James Potter.
8. Brown & Ellis.
9. William Brown.
10. Samuel Montgomery. 11. Jos. Edmiston, Esq.
12. Zephaniah Stark.
13. Thomas Gregg and Saml. Edmiston.
14. William Brown, Esq.
17. Chas. Hardy.
18. James Montgomery.
19. Thos. Buchanan, Esq.
20. William Early.
21. William Brown, Esq. 22. James Potter.
21. David Weldon Pick- Ons. 25. John Gillespie.
28. Jesse Adams.
30. James Humes.
44. Isabella Buchanan.
495
MIFFLIN COUNTY.
16. Christian King .. 72. Robert Mitchell.
-17. James Henderson.
1. James Haslett.
14. Win. MeCandless.
50. Michael Funcannon.
51. Robert Cochran.
52. William Elliott.
53. Adam Berger.
35. George Riddle.
.7. William Harper.
5%. Jones MeDownell.
59. John Elliott.
60. Alex. Cochran.
61. Joseph Cowgill.
62. James Thompson.
63. Samuel Marshall.
64. Robert Power.
65. Patrick Mckinney.
66. William Power.
121. William Kenney.
129. James Davidson.
67. Robert Patterson.
68. Moses Williamson.
69. Robert Campbell.
70. Samuel Henry.
71. Jas. McFarland, Esq. . 177. Jeremiah Daily.
The act for the erection of the borough of Lewistown was approved April 11, 1795, and the boundaries were defined as here given : " Beginning at a post on the Bank of the River Juniata ;" then by courses and distances, " to a post on the south side of Kishacoquillas Creek ; thence down said creek south 85°, west 17 perches to a post ; " thence, by courses and dis- tances, " to the mouth of the said creek ; then up the said river north 78°, west forty-five perches, and then west 32 perches to the place of beginning."
The act provided for two burgesses, one of whom was to be chief and the other merely " assistant burgess," while there were also to be two " burgesses' assistants," a high constable and a town elerk.
The act named the first officers as follows : Joseph Cogill, chief burgess ; George MeClellan, burgess ; Jeremiah Daily, high constable ; James Robertson, town clerk ; Robert Patterson and Michael Foncannon, burgesses' assistants.
The officers so named were to hold until the first Monday of May, 1796, when an election was to be held.
The act remained in foree until February 6, 1811, when an act was approved by Governor Snyder, altering and amending the original. This act provided for the election of a chief
burgess, an assistant, and five reputable citi- zens to be a Town Council, and a high constable. The meetings of the Town Council were to be held in the court-house until otherwise provided for.'
The presidents of the Council are here given from 1814 for about fifteen years from which time the burgesses are given,-
PRESIDENTS.
1814. Peacock Major. 1 1821. Joseph B. Ard.
1815. William P. Maclay. 1826. Joseph B. Ard.
1816. David Reynolds. 1827. E. L. Benedict.
1817. David Reynolds.
1828. A. S. Wilson.
1819. Peacock Major. 1830. William MeHIall.
1820. D. W. Hulings. 1833. Joseph B. Ard.
1821. Andrew Keiser. 1834. James Culbertson.
BURGESSES.
1828. William MeCay. 1858. John Davis.
1829. William MeCay. 1859. John Davis.
1830. William MeCay. 1860. Samuel Comfort.
1831. David Milliken.
1861. Samuel Comfort.
1833. William MeCay.
1862. John Davis.
1834. James McCord.
1863. Jolm Davis.
1835. Heury Eisenbise.
1864. Joseph MI. Cogley.
1836. Henry Eisenbise.
1865. George Frysinger.
1837. Heury Eisenbisc.
1866. Samuel J. Brisbin.
1838. Henry Eisenbise.
1839. Henry Kulp.
1840. Abraham Blymyer.
1841. George Miller.
1870. William B. Weber.
1842. George Miller.
1871. William Willis.
1843. George Miller.
1872. William B. Weber.
1844. Richanl R. Franks.
1873. Jolm Clark, Sr.
1845. R. Rush Franks.
1874. John Davis.
1846. Henry Kulp.
1875. Geo. S. Hoffinan.
1876. Jos. M. Selheimer.
1848. John W. Shaw.
1877. George W. Soult.
1849. John W. Shaw.
1878. George W. Soult.
1879. Robert McKee.
1880. Geo. S. Hoffman.
1852. George Frysinger.
1853. Alex. A. Banks.
1854. George Frysinger.
1883. William Irvine.
1855. Geo. W. Stewart.
1884. A. E. Printz.
1856. John Davis.
1885. A. E. Printz.
1857. George Frysinger.
1 A supplement to the act of erection was approved March 19, 1829, concerning high constable ; also March 31, 1886 ; another March 5, 1511, which increased the Town Council to sis members. An net was passed Match Sa, INI". which authorized the appointment of commissioners to re-survey the borough and to erect the East and West Wards. An ordinance passed the Borough Council July 15, 1857. ordering street haups to be created for the accommodation of the citizens.
73. Geo. McClelland.
7.1. James Scott.
75. John Wilson.
76, 77. Saml. Edmistou. 78. Audrew Dalf.
79. James Alexander.
80. Moses Williamson. 81. Saml. Montgomery. 82. Dr. Isaiah Blair. 83. Robert Parks. Jacob York. Henry Bemtheisel.
93. Philip Weaver.
96. John Speck.
100. Jolm Buchanan.
102. John Schnell.
116. Thomas Cullen.
130. JJames Mitchell.
131. John Norris or Wm. McCandless.
1867. John B. Selheimer. 1868. William B. Weber. 1869. Wm. B. Hoffinan.
1847. Henry Kulp.
1850. Thos. A. Worrall.
1851. Jas. L. MeElvain.
1881. Geo. S. Hoffman. 1882. John M. Nolte.
496
JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
Joseph Scott, in the United States Gazetteer of 1795, gives this account of Lewistown,-
"Lewistown, the chief town in Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, situated on the north side of Juniatta river at the month of Cishicoquilis ereck. It is reg- ularly laid out and contains about 120 dwellings, a court-house and jail. A court of common pleas and general quarter sessions is held here the 2d Monday in January, April, August and November. It was incorporated by an act of the Legislature passed De- cember 1, 1795, and is governed by two burgesses, one high constable, town clerk and two assistants. It is 150 miles W. N. W. of Philadelphia."
In the early days of Lewistown a little stream ran through the town, crossing Third Street not far from the Methodist Church. On the bank of this stream was a fine grove of trees, nnder whose shade the women of the town were in the. habit of doing their weekly washing. There was also a ravine, twenty or thirty feet deep, in the rear of the Ritz honse, which, in time, was filled partly by stumps, and in the following manner: A borough ordinance was passed im- posing as a fine for drunkenness the digging out a stump in the street, of which, at that early time, there were many. It came to be the cus- tom that when a certain number, fifteen or twenty, had violated the ordinance, and were subject to the fine, that they would agree upon a time and have a stump-pulling bee, and upon the completion of the task the stumps were all thrown in this ravine. The items here given are taken from the various assessment rolls.
In the year 1803, Samuel Edmiston was as- sessed on two lots and one brick house on Market Street, valued at $1300; other lots and houses $1750; John Brown, honse and lot, $300, store-house and half lot $400, grist and saw-mill and one acre of land $2000, one lot and barn $100, vacant lot $40; Robert Forsythe, two lots and three houses on Water Street, $1333.33, other houses and lots, $770; George McClelland, house and lots at the bridge, $1200; William Elliott, one brick house and two lots on the Diamond, $1100, unfinished honse on Market Street, $140; George Mulholland, honse and lot on Water Street, $600, house and lot on Market Street, $-100. All others on the roll are assessed on less than $1000. James Criswell is assessed on one lot and two houses,
one of which is in the tenure of " Old Nanny;" Foncanon & Smith, on a store-house and lot on Water Street; David Jordan, on a house aud lot on Market Street, for the heirs of Arthur Buchanan (Jordan married Isabella, the widow of Arthur Buchanan); John MeKelvey ocenpied a house, two lots and a store-house owned by the heirs of Samuel Montgomery ; William Robison, a lot and brick house on Market Street ; John and James Steel, store- house and half-lot on Water Street; William Scott, lot and hatter's shop on Market Street ; Abraham Weaver, house and lot on Market Street and distillery and brewery.
The following are additional items culled from the assessment roll of 1809: Mary Estell, brick house on Diamond ; Francis Ellis, "watterman " and inn; William Gallagher, brick house, Water Street ; David MeConahey, tanner, saddler and tanyard at Third and Brown Streets ; Joseph and Samuel Martin, " watter- men."
The carpenters were Eli Smith, Anthony Ferrier (Main and Market Streets) Abraham Hufford, James McClintock. The masons were Philip and James Smith. The hatters were William McCoy and John Mulholland ; coopers, John McKeely, John McDowell, John and James Pierce ; saddlers, Francis McCoy, James Me Williams (also a butcher) ; chairmaker, John McBride; gunsmith, George Slaysman ; black- smith, Jacob Walters.
The following items were gleaned from the assessment of 1810: Pilots, John Baum and Rhoads Conner; tailor, Henry Harshbarger; tinman, Philip Rupert. In 1811, John Geepore was a barber and musician. In 1814, George Swartz, a briekmaker. The first mention of an apotheeary is in 1823, when F. A. Milsheimer was keeping a shop in the town. In that year also Samuel Haller was keeping a shop for the repair of watches and manufacture of elocks, while Daniel MeDavid was a silversmith. In 1833, Charles Ritz was keeping a drug-store.
Concerning the early business and other in- terests, much more will be found in this chapter, the several topics being treated separately.
In the year 1813, AAndrew Keiser and Samuel Martin, both of whom owned considerable land
497
MIFFLIN COUNTY.
in close proximity to the borongh, laid ont nineteen lots. Twelve were on the road to Kishacoquillas and seven ou the Sunbury Road. These lots were cach sixty by two hundred feet and were advertised to be sold at public sale on the 8th of September, 1813. Other additions have been made from time to time. The facts connected with the constructing and opening the turnpike, canal and railroad through the borough will be found in the arti- cle on " Internal Improvements," in the " Gen- eral History " of this work.
MARKET-HOUSE AND TOWN HALL .- The old court-honse was erceted in 1796 in the public square, and extending north from it was an open market-house, with a roof sup- ported by brick piers or columns. This market- place was used until 1819, when an ordinance of the Borough Council was passed, April 24th of that year, " AAnthorizing the sale of the ruins of the market-house, alleged to be a nuisance in the street." It was to be sold by the constable on or before the 1st of May following, and as, in an ordinance for improving the public square, passed May 3d, mention is made that " the mar- ket square remains umimproved," and it was directed that the street, in all directions from the court-house, be graveled and turnpiked twenty-one fect from the pavements of the court- honse, it is to be presumed that it had been cold and removed prior to the latter action.
From that time for several years no markets were held in the town. Another market-house was built later on the square southwest from the court-house, and on June 21, 1833, an or dinance was passed to regulate the market and to sell stalls in the market-house. It remained in ne until the destruction of the court-house, in 1813-41.
An act of Legislature was passed April 27, 1811, anthorizing the burgess and Town Con- cil of Lewistown " to purchase a lot in the bor- ough for the purpose of erecting a market-honse and town hall thereon." A lot was purchased on the corner of Main and Third Streets, and a town hall and market-honse created in that year. An ordinance passed September 6, 1858, regulated for the management of the mar- ket. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday morn- 32
ings of each week were made market-days, at which times meats and vegetables were to be exposed for sale in the stalls in the town hall, and on stands "on the pavement of the Town Hall, on Third Street, from the north corner of the Hall to the alley," ten feet of which by four in breadth might be assigned to any butcher applying. No meat was to be sold elsewhere during market hours. Markets were regularly held in the town hall for several years, and in later years at irregular intervals. The custom was finally abandoned about 1870.
FIRE DEPARTMENT .- The first definite in- formation concerning any preparation for the extinguishing of fires is found in an ordinance passed by the burgess and Council of Lewistown, February 23, 1815, which declared that every owner of a house "Shall furnish the same with leathern fire-buckets, which buckets shall be placed in the entry or such other part of the honse as shall be most easy of access, and be marked with the owner's name or initial thereof, and shall be kept in good repair for using at all times in case of fire." No record has been found concerning the purchase of a fire-engine, but that one was soon after bought is evident from the following ordinance, passed April 4, 1817: " That, for the better and more perfect organization of a Fire Engine Company, the engine is hereby placed under the direction of the Corporation of the Borongh of Lewistown, and is to be directed by the Burgess and Town Council for the time being," and " That for the purpose of exercising the engine the Borongh shall be divided into two districts, the first dis- triet to be composed of that part of the Borough lying east of the Main Street, and the second dis- triet of that part lying west of said street." The taxable inhabitants of the districts were to meet on the last Saturday of each month; the clerk of the borough was to attend at every training of the engine company and call over the names, noting the absentees, a list of whom he was to furnish to the burgess, to be fined for non-attendance twenty-five cents. It does not appear that a fire company was formed until 1831, when a meeting was held to organize a company, and on the 12th of August a com- mittee to draft a constitution reported " The
498
JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
Kite Fire Company," composed of boys. It was organized March 12, 1836, with F. Me- Coy, secretary. An act of Legislature was passed June 22, 1839, incorporating the " Juniata Fire Company." These companies appear to have been in existence but a short time, as in 18 11 the borough still was in charge of the engines and provided for action in case of fire. By an ordinance passed January 22, 1841, the Council was authorized to borrow not to exceed six hundred dollars, to purchase hose and other materials for the Fire Department. Section 2 of the ordinance authorized and re- quired the high constable "to take in charge the fire-engines and hose after fires and have them carefully restored and kept in good order."
Section 3 " appointed Judge MeCoy, Joseph Milliken, David Rittenhouse, John R. Weekes and William Brothers a Committee of Super- intendence to compel the citizens to fall into ranks for the purpose of carrying water to the fires in time of necessity," the fine to be five dollars for disobedience of the orders of this committee.
James Kinsloc, William Butler, Francis Me- Clure, Charles Ritz and Ephraim Banks were appointed a committee " to guard and protect property when carried into the street from houses in times of fire." On the 24th of May, 1843, the Republican contained a call for a meeting to organize a fire company. Two com- panies were organized soon after,-"The Fame" and " The Henderson Hook-and-Ladder." They continued until about 1878. In October, 1877, the Borough Conneil purchased a Silsby steamer No. 2, with one thousand feet of hose, for thirty-eight hundred dollars. The steamer was named " Henderson " and placed in charge of "the Henderson Hook-and-Ladder Com- pany," whose name was then changed to " Hen- derson Steam Fire Company, No. 1." The steuner was kept in the oldl Lutheran Church on Third Street, which had been purchased by the borough many years before for an engine- house. In 1878 a tower was added to the engine- house, which was blown down in the spring of 1885, and rebuilt at a cost of five hundred dollars. The old Henderson Company at one time were in possession of a hand-engine named
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